


Dawns, Dusks and Dreams

by CaesarStories



Category: Original Work
Genre: Bows & Arrows, Butterflies, Deities, Gen, Help, Horseback Riding, Horses, How Do I Tag, I genuinely have no idea where this is going, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Knives, Minor LGBTQ Characters, Minor Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Universe, POV First Person, POV Original Female Character, Prophetic Dreams, Prophetic Visions, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, Weapons, Werewolves, i didnt outline this in the slightest, i read over chapters once sorry for mistakes, i stole the horses name from a book i read, killing animals, will add tags when more are necessary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29985642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaesarStories/pseuds/CaesarStories
Summary: When Solano, a fifteen year old girl native to an isolated, undiscovered island, starts to have odd dreams and visions involving her deities she starts to question her traditions and way of life. She embarks on a journey to find out if what she's been thought all her life is the truth or if something more sinister lies beneath the surface.I'm really bad at summaries and definitely don't describe it very well. Please don't judge before you read it, I'm trying my best.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s), Original Character(s) & Original Character(s), Original Female Character & Original Female Character, Original Female Character & Original Male Character, Original Male Character & Original Male Character





	1. Evening

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the first chapter while I was sitting in a car dealership, I don't know why I continued it.  
> Enjoy, I guess?  
> I procrastinate a lot so bear with me on updates. I'm determined to finish this though.

“Long ago, when the world was nothing but a great ball of fire, ten great deities were born from the ashes and given the task to craft the world.

Aelia, Goddess of Weather, sent great storms to cool the earth and give us water.

Asyn, God of Nature, created the trees and rocks and flowers and the berry bushes from which we eat.

Catix, Goddess of Abundance, gave us the animals we eat and the horses we tamed.

Eysus, God of Day and Night, lets us know when to rest.

Thihlena, Goddess of Life, created each and every one of us to come down from paradise and live amongst the world Her and Her friends created for us.

Esin, Goddess of Health, watches over us on our time here to keep us safe.

While Amarie, Goddess of Love, makes sure we are never lonely and Diella, Goddess of Freedom, makes sure we are never trapped.

And when our time here is done Naksyn, God of Death, arrives to walk us home to paradise to forever live with our ancestors and creators.

But the tenth is rumoured to be the most powerful of all. Tafal, God of Dreams. He sends prophecies to those pure of heart through odd, often coded, dreams and visions. Many a time people disregard His prophecies instead saying that it is all nonsense, but they say that if you heed his dreams and choose to dive further into the mystery, you’ll be rewarded with the answers to the darkest questions that lurk within your heart.”

“Mom, are you telling those pups scary stories again?”

I stopped in my tracks and looked over towards the elder den. There was a gathering of three young pups sitting in front of my grandmother listening to her tell them old stories. My father stood to the right looking down at them, an annoyed look on his face.

“Oh, Reiji, you know they’re not only stories.”

My curiosity got the better of me and I walked over to them. Grandma greeted me with a smile as the pups turned round to face me.

_“Solano! Are the stories true?”_

_“Yeah, Solano, are they?”_

_“Tell us, Solano! Tell us! Tell us!”_

I knelt down to the pups, laughing as a couple climbed on my lap and one jumped on my back. They were all looking at me with a kind of awestruck wonder in their eyes. I reached behind me and lifted Rysk, one of the pups, off my back.

“No, they’re not true. Just old stories we tell to keep little pups like you entertained.”

“But if they’re only stories then why do we pray to the Gods?” Skylar asked.

“Because even if a couple things are made up, that doesn’t mean everything is. The Gods did make our island, they made everything we can see and Thihlena made each one of you.” I tapped each on the nose as I said the last part.

That seemed to satisfy the pups as they nodded and clambered off me and into the middle of the clearing behind me.

“Let’s play tag!” Rysk exclaimed. “You run and I’ll chase you!”

“That’s not fair Rysk!” Alora butted in. “You’re faster than us!”

“Am not!”

“Are to!”

“Come on pups, bring your bickering somewhere else. Sailor, can you bring them down to the beach? Let them burn off some energy.”

“On it Dawn!”

I giggled again and looked away the scene to zone back into what my father was saying.

“Mom, you have to stop telling the pups stories like that. You’ll frighten them.”

“I won’t do anything to them. Kids love stories. You used to love stories.”

“Yes, you’re right but still, tales like that could frighten them.”

It was at that point I stopped listening. I got to my feet and started walking off, gazing at the bright blue sky above me. It wasn’t until I almost ran someone over did I realise I had zoned out.

“Woah, watch yourself Solano.”

I snapped back to reality and looked down to see who’d spoken to me.

“Hm? Oh, sorry Gabriel!”

“Heh, you’re okay. What are you up to? You seem pretty.. up there..”

He gestured to the sky and I understood what he meant immediately. I was always zoning out. So much so that when I was little Mama and Papa would often joke about changing my name to Sky because of how much I looked at it.

“Yeah sorry, just zoned out again. I’m not up to much, just trying to kill time before dinner.”

“Well, if you want something to do, I’m going fishing. You wanna come?”

“Sure, I’d love to!” I answered. “You need help with them?” I asked, gesturing to the leaf baskets he was holding.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.”

I smile as he hands me a couple of baskets. We turn and walk out the east camp exit towards the docks. Okay, we called them the docks, really, they were just some flats rocks where we could easily tie up the fishing rafts.

We walked down the dirt path that led to the docks, just talking about life and friends and training. When we finally reached the water, I felt myself stop in my tracks, staring out at the open ocean. The sun reflected off the water so brightly it near blinded me and when it hit the water at the right angle, you could see right down to the very bottom of the reef.

_“-lano?”_

“Solano?”

**“Solano!”**

I suddenly snapped back to reality. “Hm?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry Gabriel, I must’ve zoned out again.”

He smiled in understanding as he turned away from me and walked over to one of the rafts. I glanced once more at the water before turning and following after him. Gabriel had loaded the baskets onto the raft and had boarded himself when I arrived at the raft. I handed him the baskets and after he put them down he turned to take my hand and help me on. I grabbed it graciously and clambered on, the raft swaying slightly under my feet. Sahra and Atlas boarded behind us and we set off.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t do much on the raft. Just sat over to the side, my feet dangling over the edge, staring out at the hypnotising blue water. Then, suddenly, the wind changed direction and blew cold. The four of us shivered and agreed to head home. I actually helped to paddle back but when the raft was safely tied up and we had all clambered off I stole one last look at the water before turning away and helping Gabriel carry baskets full of fish home.

We arrived home just as the sun was starting to set. The fire was lit and people were starting to gather in the clearing. We dropped the baskets full of fish off to Dian to be gutted and walked over closer to the fire. With the sun setting it was starting to get cold so I was glad of the heat the fire produced.

I went and sat with my back against the central rock structure of the clearing. Gabriel and Juniper came over and sat beside me and the three of us started chatting. Pretty soon, everyone had gathered in the clearing and the meat had been cooked.

We said our prayers, thanking Catix for the meat, Asyn for the berries and Aelia for the water. Afterwards we each got handed a ration of rabbit and fish meat with a couple of handfuls of wild berries that had been picked that morning. It was plain yet simple and warmed me up to no end.

With everyone fed and beginning to tire we started sharing songs, stories and just relaxing before sleep. We let the fire die down until it was only shimmering embers.

The pups had gone to bed long before but now, with the night growing darker than it already was, people were started trickling off to bed until I was the only person sitting up. I didn’t mind it though, I liked being by myself. The thought of only me knowing what happened after hours when everyone was sleeping was strangely comforting in an odd way.

I sighed and stood up, throwing a small pale of water over the fire to keep it from sparking.

There was something I had to do. It had been nagging at me all day.

I quickly made my way over to the horse stables near the north exit of the camp.

“Hi, Zelie.”

Zelie whinnied and brushed her warm, wet nose against my hand.

“Shh, sorry girl, I don’t have any food.”

She snorted in annoyance but held still as I opened the gate to let her out and climbed on her back. My legs unknowingly gripped her torso too tightly and she nearly kicked me off, but I adjusted myself on her back and she calmed. My long tail entangled with hers and I gripped onto her mane.

“You know where we’re going.”

Zelie snorted in affirmation and took off galloping out of the north exit, leaping and bounding over the rocky terrain of the northern territories.


	2. Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read over this chapter and it's so cringey. I'm so sorry.

We arrived at the sacred grounds in no time. The soft white glow of the moon’s reflection off of the branches of the albino willow tree lit the way as I dismounted off of Zelie and entered the grounds.

My feet carried me through the hanging branches with ease. White butterflies with blue tipped wings flew around me, often times landing in my hair and on my arms, their soft feet tickling me. I stretched my arm up and let my hand brush through the snow-white branches.

These were the sacred grounds. A cluster of albino willow trees surrounding a circular rock formation. This was where funerals took place and where our connection to our Gods was the strongest.

As I came closer to the rocks more and more butterflies gathered around me until I stepped out from the last branch of the last tree before the rocks, the leaves nearly catching in my hair. As soon as I left the safety of the trees the butterflies scattered, retreating back into the safety of the thick branches.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward, closer to the rocks. I felt the pull of their energy grow stronger with every step until I was standing right beside them. The six, eight-foot columns loomed over me as I went and stood in the centre of the hexagon.

The shapes and markings that made up our alphabet were scraped in the rocks. Five of them had two names each, two names of our deities.

Thihlena and Naksyn.

Asyn and Catix.

Eysus and Aelia.

Esin and Diella

Tafal and Amarie.

The ten names that made up our God’s.

But, on the last column there was only one word. _Enara._

For centuries, generation after generation, people have stared at the word. That jumble of shapes and tried to make sense of it and no one has found anything. The mystery has puzzled hundreds if not thousands of people. This. This is what was calling me all day.

I walked to the last column and ran my hand over the markings. My fingers ran smoothly over the grooves in the rock. The stone felt cold and hard but oddly welcoming. I felt safe, standing here in the rock formation staring at that word.

_Enara._ What did it mean? Why was it here? What was the mystery behind it?

I let my hand linger on the word letting myself get lost in thought when out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure move.

I instantly retracted my hand, reeling around to try and see the owner of the shadow. At first, I wasn’t scared but as the seconds ticked by, I could feel the anxiety building in my chest. My breathing quickened as I let out a small “Who’s there?”

A pinkish fog then appeared from the tree line. It surrounded the rocks and subsequently my lower legs. It felt warm, almost homely like a mother’s touch, and smelled slightly of roses. It probably would’ve calmed me if the odour wasn’t emanating off a strange fog.

I took a step backwards and then another before my back hit against the rock and I had to stop. I pressed myself against the rock as the fog spread even more, getting thicker with the smell becoming even more potent. I clamped my mouth shut and wrapped my arms around my body protectively and when eventually I thought the fog would suffocate me, it stopped.

Everything stopped, the movement of the fog, the swaying of the willow branches in the wind. Even the air it seemed was frozen in time. Then the fog retracted. It was pulled backwards towards the source from which it came, diminishing in an instant and when it left a woman was standing in its spot.

She was tall, taller than me at least, with red-pink hair and large eyes of the same colour. She had a young face and wore her hair half-up, half-down. She had on a pastel pink gown-like dress with a slit in the back for a long salmon tail to poke out of. Her ears were that of a fox too. Sitting on the top of her head, up to show her alertness.

The woman took a step towards me, her hand reaching out to initiate a handshake. My hands loosened slightly from around my torso and I cautiously reached out my own hand. She took it, shook it and didn’t let go. She kept my hand in hers as she took a step closer to me. When she was directly in front of me she reached out her other hand to brush a loose strand of hair from my eyes, which must have fallen during the whole fog scene.

She smiled at me and squeezed my hand reassuringly. It was then she spoke.

“Hello, Solano. Don’t be afraid. I get this must be very strange for you but, please, don’t worry. You’re safe.”

My breathing became heavier again.

“How do you- how do you know my name?”

She finally let go of my hand to put her hands behind her back and rock on her heels.

“Thihlena told me.” She said smiling. “But don’t tell her I told you.”

She smiled cheekily, shutting her eyes and tilting her head to the side as she did so. I stayed silent for a minute.

“T- Thihlena?”

“Why of course.” She said it like it should be common knowledge. “She should know, after all, she did create you.”

My mind was blank, my thoughts going at a hundred miles per hour. Who was this woman? How was she here?

She was still smiling at me. That bright smile with those wide, happy eyes.

“Who are you?” I asked, the question sounding more aggressive than I had intended it to be.

She pretended to look hurt for a few seconds as she thought over my question before deciding to answer.

“I’m Amarie. I assume you know me.” She answered, smiling yet again.

My breath caught in my throat. Of course, I knew Amarie. She was the Goddess of Love. The goddess that when you were old enough would guide you to a suitable partner. The one who helped out with relationship troubles. The one who had many a story told about Her being mischievous and causing trouble but at the same time the most empathetic of all the gods, after Thihlena, who had more love for each of us than words could describe. And yet here She was, standing in front of me.

“Amarie?” I breathed out. A barely audible whisper. She smiled and nodded. Her smile was kind, welcoming and now that I knew who She was, Her presence put me at ease.

I stared at Her in awe for a minute longer until She looked away, over Her shoulder and then turned back towards me.

“You should go.” She said, Her face was one of worry and She looked quite serious.

“What? Why? Please Amarie, I have so many questions.”

Amarie shook Her head and took my hand in Hers again. She squeezed it and smiled slightly before whispering: “Come back another night.”

Then the pink, rose scented fog appeared again and She stepped back into it, letting go of my hand and waving a small goodbye before disappearing completely. The fog disappeared too, departing just as quickly as it had come the first time, leaving me alone in the stone circle.

I stayed there, frozen to the stop, for a few minutes before remembering Amarie’s words and heading for the exit. I found Zelie not to far away from the grounds, drinking from a small stream that ran through the area.

She greeted me with a whinny and stood still as I mounted. Again, entangling my tail with hers and directing her home.

We entered through the north entry and I put Zelie to bed, double checking the lock on the gate before going to bed myself. I skilfully and silently climbed the trees to my hut near the top of the tree, using the thick vines and branches to pull myself up. I pushed the vines aside and entered the small tent-like structure suspended in the treetops. The vines fell back into place behind me, acting as a curtain or door of sorts.

I lay down on the floor of the hut and pulled my legs up to my chest, hugging them close.

_‘What the hell just happened?’_ I thought playing the scenario over in my head, again and again until the pull of sleep took its hold and left me to the will of Tafal and His weird dreams but right before I fell unconscious another thought came to me.

Why was Amarie so anxious to go? and what did She see in the trees?


	3. Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brainworms produced this at 11pm last night during an anxiety induced writing spree. I edited it a little later and this is the final product.  
> Short and very slow chapter but I'm honestly quite proud of it.

The sun glaring into my eyes was what woke me the next morning. I groaned and turned over, willing myself back to sleep. When the sounds of the bustling campground started to drift its way up to me was when I decided to move.

I sat up, yawning and stretching. I stayed where I was for a while, listening to the birds singing and noises from the camp.

As I sat there, listening to the sweet sounds of Rysk and Alora bickering, an odd dream I had last night started to come back to me.

I was standing in a clearing at night. Heavy fog surrounded me and the air felt cold and unwelcoming.

I was watching.. something. I don’t really remember what but it didn’t make much sense. There were people standing in a circle muttering to each other. I didn’t hear anything they said, I don’t know if I was even trying. Then, all of a sudden, they turned to me.

I remember seeing twisted faces, scared looks, shocked gasps as they realised my presence.

And then I woke. I fell back asleep almost immediately though. The dream didn’t frighten or disturb me, simply confused me.

Maybe it had something to do with speaking to Amarie last night, or maybe it didn’t. Whatever it was, I was sure that Tafal was trying to tell me something, it was just hard to decode.

I stood up, running a hand through my long hair as I made my way to the entrance of the hut.

I stepped into the light, shielding my eyes against the brightness of the morning sun. I crossed the branch quickly and scaled down the tree, gripping onto the vines to help me down.

I dropped down to the ground, landing on my feet, and making my way over to the stream near the west exit.

Crouching down, I lowered my cupped hand into the stream and lifted the cool water to my mouth, taking a drink. I dried my hands on my clothes before turning and picking a couple of wild berries for a small breakfast.

I then turned and went to find Gabriel, looking in all the usual spots where we normally hung out. I finally ran into him near the beach at the south of the island.

“Gabriel!” I called out as I ran up to him.

He turned to look at me, “Morning Solano. You finally woke up.”

I laughed and breathed a “Yep.” It was nearly midday when I had woken, I did have a late night though.

I went and sat on a nearby rock as Gabriel turned back and skimmed a rock into the shimmering water. I watched, silent and after a few minutes he turned to me and asked, “I know that look, what’s on your mind?”

No wonder he asked, Gabriel probably knows me better then I know myself.

 _Shit, should I tell him?_ “Uh, I just had a weird dream and it’s playing on my mind.” _Too late now :/_

“You wanna tell me about it.”

“I don’t really remember it. It was really foggy, like, literally. There was a lot of fog. People were there too, it was a group, around ten or so.” I paused, replaying the dream again in my mind. “They were talking about something and then turned to me. That was it really.”

“Yeah? What do you think it means?”

“Honestly? No clue.” I dug my toes into the sand of the beach. The sun had warmed the sand and the heat singed my feet slightly.

Gabriel shrugged. “Maybe Tafal was just going through it. Wanted to be mysterious. You know, like gods normally are.”

That made me laugh. “Yeah probably.”

He skimmed another rock and hummed. I fell silent and Gabriel, sensing that I was losing myself in my thoughts again, started to ramble, mostly to himself, about things that were going on around camp, just to let me have some background noise. He went on about relationships between people, milestones the pups had hit, different events coming up etc.

I silently thanked him as I let myself go back to the dream, to think it through yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading :D I hope you enjoyed and that my brianworms shat out something tolerable. I'm currently working on chapter 4 now so shouldn't be long until it's up.  
> Also my notes keep getting messed up and try as I might I can't fix it so that sucks :/  
> As always comments/kudos are very much appreciated.  
> Stay safe, Phoebe x

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading :D I really hope you enjoyed.  
> Feel free to leave comments/kudos.  
> Stay safe, Phoebe x


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